New Ford Falcon can dial 000 if you crash, citing GPS location

AIRBAGS? So last century. Ford’s new Falcon ups the safety standards by automatically dialling 000 in the event of a crash.

Joshua Dowling National Motoring Editor

News Corp Australia NetworkAugust 22, 20142:13am

New features ... Ford’s Australian production line may be nearing the end, but the company’s not holding back in its design. Picture: Joshua Dowling.Source:Supplied

THE Ford Falcon may be heading for the car park in the sky but it could save your life with help from above.

The new Falcon due in local showrooms later this year — the car that will see the end of the line for Ford manufacturing in 2016 — will become the first Australian-made vehicle that can automatically dial 000 if you have a crash.

Lifesaver ... provided your phone has bluetooth, the new Falcon will automatically dial 000 if you have a crash, citing your GPS location. Picture: Supplied.Source:Supplied

If the airbags are deployed the car will automatically call emergency services, providing the phone is paired via Bluetooth.

If the 000 operator cannot make voice contact with the driver or passengers, emergency services will be able to send police, fire and ambulance officers to the crash scene using the GPS co-ordinates sent by the phone.

Given that time saves lives — especially in remote areas — it is expected the technology will increase the chances of survival in severe crashes.

Ford has had the 000 technology in a selected number of its imported cars for 12 months, but the system is expected to be fitted to all new Ford Falcon sedans and Territory SUVs from later this year.

It is part of Ford’s plan to put every available piece of technology into the last Falcon to broaden its customer appeal and make it all the way to the proposed deadline of October 2016, when the Broadmeadows car assembly line and Geelong engine and stamping plants are due to close.

Contrary to reports warning of an early shutdown, Ford Australia is adamant it will continue to build cars until the very end, in part because the imported vehicles that replace them will not be ready until then.

When asked by News Corp Australia last month if the current production rate of just 83 cars per day was sustainable all the way to the end, the boss of Ford Australia, Bob Graziano, said: “Yes.”

When asked if there was any cause for concern about an early closure, Mr Graziano said: “No”.

The man of few words said it was always Ford’s plan to go the distance, but the picture had become clearer in recent months and that the current output was enough to the keep the factory running.

“There is no change to the plan,” said Mr Graziano said, adding that the Falcon and Territory were selling relatively well compared to other vehicles in their segments.

Ford’s 000 technology is part of a system that the company calls “SYNC 2”; it also enables the driver to control the radio, air-conditioning and navigation systems by voice commands so they can keep their hands on the steering wheel.

Before its introduction locally Ford tailored the system to understand Australian accents after some misunderstandings with earlier versions.

The Ford system is the first of its type in an Australian-made car because it calls emergency services directly.

Holden had a telematics system from 2001 to 2010 but it required a third party to make a call to emergency services.

The Holden system could also unlock the car if the keys were left in it, and could track and immobilise the car if it was stolen.

But Holden stopped fitting the system to its luxury cars in 2008 and made it available as an option until 2010, when it switched off the system.